What’s Really In Your Dogs Food?

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Calcium ascorbate, zinc proteinate, manganous proteinate, do you know what they are? No? Does anyone?

Food labels can be so hard to understand, especially when it comes to pet foods. A countless number of things can be harmful and even potentially fatal to dogs, but how do we know which? Hopefully this article should give you an idea of what ingredients you should avoid feeding your dogs.

When you are buying any products for your dog, it is imperative you make sure you understand the preservatives that are being used. Some preservatives are harmless, but others are harmful, such as Propylene glycol (used in antifreeze) and Ethoxyquin (commonly used as a stiffening agent in synthetic rubber and pesticide). It is shocking that such ingredients can make their way into foods. The latter of the two is even under investigation due to links to liver and kidney cancer after prolonged exposure, so after consuming the same brand of food for months on end, your dog could develop fatal ailments.

According to a study by a group of American scientists who analysed 448 different popular dog products, tetra sodium pyrophosphate is also bad for your dog. It causes diarrhoea, sickness and weight loss. It is in fact used in other products as a rust stain remover. Unfortunately, with loss of weight, sickness and diarrhoea comes loss of nutrients, which could lead to all manners of issues from hair loss, to malnutrition to dandruff!

It is important to be cautious about the amino acids that are present in the food. Amino acids form proteins which are important for absolutely every bodily function. Protein is what aids cell maintenance and regrowth : for example, when your dog has dry skin, protein will have a part to play in repairing the damaged skin or building new layers of skin. But you should be careful which ones you are using. Some manufacturers attempt to cheapen the manufacturing process with second rate and poor quality amino acids, such as L-lysine monohydrochloride.

The following chemicals can also be found in certain dog foods : Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and Butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), both of which are regarded as cancer causing compounds by the World Health organization.